Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Nebraska › Jefferson County

Jefferson County, NE

Cattle prices near Jefferson County, Nebraska. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Salina in Salina, KS, about 97 miles away. On Nov 12, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $403.70 per hundredweight on 280 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Not listedFSA 2026 list Burn ban Checkcall the county Salina 5-wt steers $404▲ $16 since last sale

Jefferson County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Jefferson County, NE showed no drought on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map. Over 90 days rain is at 181% of normal, and the last 30 days came in at 143% (above normal); Friday carries the week's highest rain chance at 67% (high 66°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain). Jefferson County is not on FSA's 2026 LFP list yet, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Salina, 97 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 143% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days 181% of normal

NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 15, 2026. Source.

Rain outlook

  • 6-10 day outlook (Nov 20–24) Leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)

NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 14, 2026. Source.

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 52°, low 34°, 1% rain, wind 6–8 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 54°, low 41°, 1% rain, wind 7–15 mph
  3. Tuesday Mostly Sunny, high 57°, low 45°, 0% rain, wind 14–21 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 63°, low 40°, 12% rain, wind 3–25 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 59°, low 49°, 19% rain, wind 2–12 mph
  6. Friday Chance Rain Showers, high 66°, low 49°, 67% rain, wind 13–21 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Rain Showers, high 55°, low 31°, 30% rain, wind 5–17 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 15, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.

PRF pasture insurance: sign up by Dec 1, 2026

The 2027 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) insurance sales closing date for Jefferson County is Dec 1, 2026, 16 days from today. PRF (Rainfall Index) pays on a rainfall index for your grid, not on your own rain gauge. You buy it through a crop insurance agent.

How PRF works · PRF 2027 sign-up · Find your grid on RMA's PRF tool

Date from USDA RMA's actuarial data, read Aug 28, 2026 · RMA dates map. Your agent confirms the date for your policy.

Jefferson County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Jefferson County grew about 2,201 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 99% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 2,229 pounds per acre. That was the 18th lowest of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2019 at 2,491 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,079.

Pounds per acre of new grass and forbs each year on rangeland and pasture, from the Rangeland Analysis Platform (satellite-based estimates). See every year on the Land tab.

Open loss windows

No open loss windows in Jefferson County right now. A 30-day window opens when the county first hits severe drought (D2), jumps to D3 or D4, or after a blizzard, extreme heat or cold, flood or ice warning, a wildfire, or a USDA disaster designation. Keep a Drought Ledger.

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.

Drought-sale tax flag IRS list

A county next to Jefferson County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (Fillmore County, NE, Gage County, NE, Saline County, NE). The IRS counts your county plus every county touching it.

Why it matters: if you sold breeding, dairy or draft livestock because of drought, the tax code may let you put off the gain (more time to buy replacement animals, or report the extra-sale income a year later). Your tax preparer decides whether either applies.

Work out your numbers and print a page for your preparer

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. Ask your tax preparer. FSA decides program eligibility. IRS Notice 2026-54 (PDF)

5-wt steers, nearest barns

Steers 500–599 lb, $/cwt, weekly average.

BarnLast sale5-wt steers
Salina 97 miNov 12$404
Kearney 108 miNov 11$436
West Point 117 miNov 2$433
How to read this

Each line is one barn's head-weighted average for 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) in that week; gaps are weeks with no sale or no lots that size. Past sales, not a bid.

Dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt, per 100 lb), calculated from USDA AMS Market News sale reports (Medium & Large 1 and 1-2). Not a USDA-published average. ≈ $/head = $/cwt × the middle of the weight class ÷ 100.

Guide: How to read a USDA sale barn report

Price history · Barn map · Fed vs feeder cattle

All weights at the 3 nearest barns

Salina 97 mi

Salina, KS
Sale of Nov 12, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb139450.50$2,030
Heifers 500-599 lb210386.30$2,120
Heifers 600-699 lb134346.41$2,250
Heifers 700-799 lb210319.65$2,400
Steers 400-499 lb82481.63$2,170
Steers 500-599 lb280403.70$2,220
Steers 600-699 lb236379.09$2,460
Steers 700-799 lb105344.38$2,580

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Kearney 108 mi

Kearney, NE
Sale of Nov 11, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb162416.50$1,870
Heifers 500-599 lb426389.69$2,140
Heifers 600-699 lb122337.78$2,200
Heifers 700-799 lb42323.07$2,420
Steers 400-499 lb212492.77$2,220
Steers 500-599 lb390435.82$2,400
Steers 600-699 lb311394.95$2,570
Steers 700-799 lb175361.38$2,710

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

West Point 117 mi

West Point, NE
Sale of Nov 2, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb49448.23$2,020
Heifers 500-599 lb80403.35$2,220
Heifers 600-699 lb30354.27$2,300
Heifers 700-799 lb9303.00$2,270
Steers 400-499 lb46496.59$2,230
Steers 500-599 lb78432.85$2,380
Steers 600-699 lb90377.27$2,450
Steers 700-799 lb18325.00$2,440

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

8 more within 200 mi: Ericson (137 mi), Dunlap IA (141 mi), Lexington (143 mi), Burwell (152 mi), Denison IA (158 mi), Lamoni IA (172 mi), Kingsville MO (191 mi), Pratt (193 mi).

Text me Jefferson County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Farmers and Ranchers Livestock (feeder cattle) Salina, KS 97 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  2. Huss Livestock Market Kearney, NE 108 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  3. West Point Livestock (feeder cattle) West Point, NE 117 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 2, 2026
  4. Ericson Livestock Market Ericson, NE 137 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  5. Dunlap Livestock Auction (feeder cattle) Dunlap, IA 141 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 6, 2026

Miles are straight-line from the county center. Sale days come from the barns' recent USDA AMS reports; call the barn to confirm. All barns

Other barns nearby (not USDA-reported)

These barns are not in a USDA AMS report, so Cownty shows no prices for them. Sale days and phones come from the barns' own sites or public listings; call the barn to confirm. More barns

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Hay prices in Nebraska

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Jefferson County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Not on FSA's 2026 LFP county list as of Nov 5, 2026. FSA updates the list as drought changes.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Jefferson County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Jefferson County was in no drought, and the worst part was no drought on 0% of the county. 0 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026

Is there a burn ban in Jefferson County?

No official statewide list to check: Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for Nebraska; county commissions, sheriffs and fire districts post local fire restrictions, so check your county's own notices.

What sale barns are near Jefferson County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Salina (97 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026; Kearney (108 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026; West Point (117 mi), last report Nov 2, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; Nov 20, 2026: Whole Farm Revenue Protection 2027: last day to buy crop insurance. FSA program dates not posted officially are marked "confirm at source" on the calendar.

Source: official agency pages (see Calendar)

Information only; not financial or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Always check the linked official source.